ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The Department of Defense recognized an Army engineer for his accomplishments in Soldier power systems, particularly in developing a wearable fuel cell system that improves Soldiers' power efficiency while reducing the load they have to carry, during a ceremony at the Pentagon Sept. 14.
Dr. Tony Thampan, a chemical engineer in the Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center, or CERDEC, was chosen as the Defense Department's Scientist of the Quarter, an award that recognizes extraordinary service by DOD engineers and scientists with less than 15 years of government experience.
"The leadership and innovation shown by Dr. Thampan on wearable fuel cell systems has resulted in substantial advancements in these state of the art technologies," said Henry Muller, CERDEC director. "It is anticipated that his accomplishments will play a key role in providing the Soldier with lighter power sources with increased capabilities."
Thampan began his career with CERDEC in 2011 after working for several years in the industrial gas industry. He started on laboratory development of small power systems for CERDEC's Command, Power and Integration Directorate, and progressed into wearable power systems with a focus on wearable fuel cells.
"Today's challenge for our dismounted infantry Soldier is basically weight, so we have situations where some Soldiers are carrying in excess of 100 pounds. Ideally you want to be at a thirty percent body weight, so you want to carry like 30 pounds," Thampan said. "Before they would just limit the missions, and that takes away capability."
Thampan modeled, designed, and developed a Soldier wearable power system that can cut a Soldier's weight burden by up to four times. He did this by using a fuel cell membrane made of Aluminum hydride, or AlH3, which provides a better energy density than the common Li-on battery used today.
"Now that these solutions have increased energy density systems, you can go out on longer missions and keep the weight manageable," Thampan said.
The wearable power system powers individual Soldier devices or all of a Soldier's ensemble devices -- such as worn radios and end user devices -- through a power distribution system. It consists of a power unit with an internal starting battery, fuel gauge and fuel cartridges.
The system is flexible and can be worn in a pouch on the side of a Soldier's vest. It has passed government ballistic testing requirements and is rated safe for Soldier's to wear.
"Because the Army wants to provide information all the way down to the Soldier-level, the communications equipment is sucking up more power. With this technology, we can enable more capability, because we have technology that can provide power, without adding extra weight. So that's pretty exciting, because it enables more situational awareness," Thampan said.
The system was tested for user feedback during CERDEC's C4ISR Ground Activity Event 15 this summer, and has been endorsed for transition to Project Manager Soldier Warrior under Program Executive Office Soldier.
Thampan's research has also led to Alane based fuel cells being investigated and developed for other DOD applications as well.
"It's great, because we're really trying to push the boundary of technology and new solutions, and we have the greatest users in the world," Thampan said. "You get to really use your skill set to develop technologies that can be deployed and really have meaningful use. The big driver for me is that there's some end use that's helpful."
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CERDEC is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness--technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection and sustainment--to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
Related Links:
Army.mil: Science and Technology News
U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command
U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center
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